To Be a Man
by PandorasCurse17
Summary: A myserious creature offers Yahiko one wish. The honorable samurai blood in him makes the wish obvious. How will the most important woman in his life be affected by that choice?


**Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic Challenge #5, "Neko"**

Title: **To Be a Man**

Author: BelleDayNight

Characters: Yahiko and Kaoru

Yahiko watched her as she sat on the front porch, mending the torn clothing with a steady hand. Her cooking skills were still abysmal, but her talent at making the old rags that could be identified as clothing last and look acceptable was truly impressive. He was returning home from another long day of serving and cleaning tables at the restaurant. His hand reached into his pocket for the wad of dollar bills he had earned. It wasn't enough. Kaoru had told him not to worry about things. He was still young and shouldn't be concerned with financial woes.

Kaoru thought that he didn't hear her talk of her worries and fears with Sano. She had confided in the ex-fighter for hire that she was afraid she would have to sale off the dojo if something didn't happen soon. The students that came to her had no money, but she taught them anyway. The heirlooms she had inherited were almost all sold by now.

The only thing she had left really was the actual home where she grew up and the sword fighting skills that her father had taught her. In this day and age, women of Japan couldn't support themselves without the help of a man. Tae was an exception in having her own restaurant and Kaoru certainly couldn't cook. Megumi worked in medicine, but Kaoru was no doctor.

Her talent was in her ability to be a friend to anyone and her father's sword style. Unfortunately, neither of those would be of much use. So Sano had told her that he would help. And he kept true to his word. He was working steadily in construction. Old habits die hard. Most of his check went to gambling on 'sure fire' ways to earn a lot of money in a little amount of time.

Kaoru never reprimanded him when he returned to the dojo empty handed. She only smiled at him sadly. Kenshin was out of the country working for the government. Naturally, he was working free of charge. It was his duty to atone for his past sins and felt that he couldn't possibly accept some kind of profit. The fact that a profit might be able to be passed to Kaoru never seemed to cross the Rurouni's mind. When Yahiko brought up these very valid points to her she would pat him on the shoulder and tell him simply that he was too young to understand.

"I'm home," Yahiko called out as he approached the porch. Kaoru looked up and gave him a warm smile and he took the invitation to sit beside her on the porch. He pulled off the pack that was slung over his shoulder. "I brought dinner for us from Tae's."

"Thank you Yahiko," Kaoru answered softly. It broke his heart. The strong woman he loved. The only family he had. She was but a shell of her former fiery self.

"I'll just leave it on the table for you," he told her as he reached out for her arm. He gave it a brief squeeze and she paused in her mending. "Everything's going to be alright Kaoru," he assured her.

"I know it will be."

Shaking his head, Yahiko left her alone on the porch. He knew why she sat on the porch all day long. She was waiting for Kenshin to return home to her. She was waiting for Sano to actually bring home the paycheck that would make her financial troubles go away. She was waiting for students to come and learn her father's method of sword fighting.

She was waiting for something that would never happen.

Yahiko wasn't hungry at the moment so he went out back. The sword Kenshin had given him as a gift for his last birthday weighed heavily in his hand as he picked it up from its home on the wall of the dojo. He began to practice his katas. He was only thirteen years old but he felt as if it was up to him to be the man of the house. Kenshin had abandoned them and Sano was a forever child.

It was then that he felt the prickling feeling at the back of his neck. Cautiously, with his sword at the ready, Yahiko turned in the direction he could sense something. He blinked in surprise at the strange orange and black cat that seemed to have appeared out of no where.

"Where did you come from?" He asked, approaching the creature cautiously. The cat tilted its head, as if pondering the question.

Then it did something that almost caused the boy to faint. "If you could have one wish in the world, what would it be?"

Dark chocolate eyes blinked in surprise. Yahiko shook his head, hoping to clear it of the delusional thoughts he was having. Cats did not speak.

"Are you deaf boy? Or are you mute and unable to speak?" The cat demanded, stalking closer to the bewildered teenager.

Yahiko approached the cat and picked it up by the nape of the neck as he examined it, trying to discern where the voice was coming from. He looked towards the direction of the doors and windows of the dojo but found no one present. "Will you kindly put me down?" The cat asked, causing Yahiko to drop him.

"This isn't possible," Yahiko murmured to himself. "Cats can't talk."

"They do if they are magical Cheshire cats. Now, answer my question," the orange and black cat demanded. "What would you wish for?"

"That I was old enough to actually help Kaoru," Yahiko answered without hesitation.

The cat looked taken aback but such an unselfish wish. "If you had any wish in the world that is what you would choose?"

"I am the son of a samurai, I do not wish to sit around when there is some way I could actually help her." Yahiko answered, kneeling down beside the strange cat.

"You must love her a great deal to be so selfless in your wish," the cat answered. Yahiko felt a blush stain his cheeks. Kaoru was like a sister to him, except they weren't related. And he might have just been noticing that she was rather beautiful and kind, but that certainly didn't mean his hormones had knocked all the sense from his head. "Very well, your wish is granted," the cat answered.

That was the last thing Yahiko remembered before everything went black.

**oooooOOOOOooooo**

When Yahiko came to, his head hurt and he felt disoriented. He looked around to see that he was still in the dojo. He felt funny. That was the only way to describe the situation he found himself. He reached to rub the back of his head where it had crashed against the wooden floor. It was then that his eyes widened in disbelief.

His hands were huge! And that's not all that was bigger. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He looked around the dojo frantically, but there was no sign of the orange and black cat. Did his wish really get granted? Was the only way he could help Kaoru by becoming an adult?

Quickly he rushed towards the bucket of water waiting in the corner of the room. It was always set there in the afternoons for those that worked out in the dojo to wash up with afterwards. The sight that met his eyes stole his breath and caused his heart to skip a beat. The face that looked back at him was not his own, and yet it was.

It was no longer the tender flesh of a young teenager. It was the hard face of a man. And he had to at least be the size of Sanosuke! His hair was a little more tame but his eyes looked wild. Of course, the wild look could be attributed to the fear he felt at finding himself in such a situation. Thankfully the cat seemed to have granted him at least one pair of clothes that would fit his new frame.

"What am I going to do?" He demanded of his reflection, startling himself at the foreign voice that reverberated through his chest. It was a deep baritone and there was no sign of thar embarrassing cracking puberty had started to make him endure.

Yahiko took a deep breath and a smile crossed his lips. At least he was a handsome man. He actually looked a lot like his samurai father. His brows furrowed; now he had to think of a reason for his looks. Could he tell Kaoru the truth? Would she believe him? In the depths of his belly he really didn't think that even she would believe this story.

He needed a plan. He could write a note and then deliver it to her saying that Yahiko had asked him to give it to her. The note could say something about an opportunity to join the armed forces had presented itself and he took it. The note would say how he didn't want her to be upset and that he would make sure she was taken care of. That the carrier of the note had vowed to him to take it into his own hands to ensure her well-being. "Brilliant!" He congratulated himself.

**oooooOOOOOooooo**

"Yahiko?" Kaoru's soft voice rang hollowly through his closed bedroom door. He hadn't shared dinner with her, nor had he joined her when she asked him to accompany her to the creek. He was obviously angry with her for something and it hurt knowing that she did something to earn this reaction. She couldn't even remember when the last time was the he purposely ignored her and locked himself up in his room. She sighed unhappily and turned away from the door. "I'll be on the front porch," she called out.

She gave a start when there was a rapt knock on her front door. She tried to compose herself, not wanting whoever was there to see her in such a somber state. She plastered a fake smile on her face, but when she opened the door she felt her jaw drop.

Standing before her was a tall stranger with the most beautiful dark eyes and chiseled features. She felt guilty at ogling the man and quickly composed herself, wishing away the blush that stained her cheeks. "Can I help you?"

"Kamiya, Kaoru?" The man asked with his deep baritone voice sending shivers down her spine. She nodded mutely. He handed her an envelope and her face paled in fear that the note would be from the government telling her of Kenshin's death. The man sensed her unease and quickly calmed her. "I am here on behalf on one Yahiko Myojin."

"Yahiko?" She echoed, ignoring the note and barring entrance into her home. "What do you want with Yahiko?" Her protectiveness was evident and Yahiko felt a swell of love for the woman standing in front of him. She looked as if she'd defend him against a pack of rabid wolves.

"Yahiko sent me to give you that letter," he explained, flashing her smile. He was surprised to see the immediate effect his smile had upon her. She actually blushed, again!

Kaoru looked down, averting her flaming face and tore open the letter, scanning the contents. "I don't understand," she looked past her shoulder towards the hallway leading to the bedrooms. "But I thought he was in his room," she trailed off confused.

"Miss Kamiya," Yahiko began, feeling strange at speaking to Kaoru so formally, "I made a promise to the boy that I would personally see to your well being."

Wide blue eyes turned back to him in astonishment. "That's not necessary, mister….I can take care of myself," she tried to assure him.

Yahiko braced his hand upon the wooden frame of the door and smiled down at her again. He really did enjoy this new height advantage. She blushed again! "He said you'd say that. And I promised just the same."

"But you're a busy man, mister…" Kaoru argued; keeping her eyes averted from the dark depths of the man standing before her. "Surely you have duties that keep you busy. It's okay. Yahiko will understand."

Yahiko was beginning to grow angry. No wonder she was in such troubles. She wouldn't accept any help from anyone! "The name is," he paused trying to think of a name. All the ones that ran through his mind were Kenshin, Sanosuke, Aoshi, Hajime, and none of those would work! "Soujiro I mean Tasuki." He smiled at her confidently. "My name is Soujiro, Tasuki. But call me Tasuki."

Kaoru quirked her brow at him suspiciously. Yahiko sighed at her, allowing a weary expression to cross his handsome face. "It's been a long night."

"So, Tasuki, would you like to come in and have a bite to eat?" Kaoru invited. Yahiko was about to immediately retort with an insult about her cooking when he caught himself.

"I would be honored to join such a lovely woman," he answered, walking inside after she moved away from the door.

"Where are you staying at Tasuki?" Kaoru asked.

Yahiko wondered if she were about to offer him residence in her home. It sounded like the kind of foolish thing she would do. She just let all sorts of rift-raft take up residence under her roof. Who else would house the nations greatest assassin, a good for nothing ex-gang member who gambles all the time, and a pickpocket?

"I just recently came to the city this morning. My service with the government is over and I'm a free man now." He took a seat across from her at the table. "Now I need to find a job and a place to live it seems."

"You're welcome to stay here," Kaoru offered as she placed the breakfast upon his plate. She wouldn't look him in the eyes. "With Yahiko gone its going to be rather lonely. And Sano hardly ever stays here anymore. And Kenshin has been gone for so long and I don't know if he'll ever return, and…"

Yahiko stopped her by raising his hand in protest as she kept piling on an ever increasing serving onto his plate. "Are you telling me, a total stranger, that you are a young woman living all alone this far out in the country?"

Kaoru's eyes grew wide in fear at the insinuation and she quickly met his dark eyes. The chop stick in her hand was raised as a weapon as she glared at him, courage combating the fear in her eyes now. "Don't try anything funny. I don't want to have to hurt you," she informed him, her voice turning to steel.

Yahiko couldn't help but laugh at her. "Don't worry. I would never hurt you." He reached out and quickly took the threatening chop stick away from her. He set it on the table and grabbed hold of her chin to bring their eyes level. "Yahiko was right, you do need someone to look after you," he told her. It was then that he realized that although Kaoru had several heroes that cared about her deeply, what she needed was a man to care about her selfishly. She needed someone to actually put her wellbeing before that of a nation and an endless sea of faceless people in constant need.

"I can take care of myself," Kaoru argued jerking her chin from his grasp and settling back on her side of the table. She began to eat with an unnecessary enthusiasm.

"Just the same, I think I'll stick around and keep my promise to young Yahiko."

Kaoru glanced up from her plate and met the dark eyes of the handsome man sitting across from her. She pondered to herself when he too would leave her. She was afraid to open her heart to anyone else, but she was powerless to stop it from happening. She knew that she would grow to love this strange man who showed up on her doorstep. She also knew that he would one day leave her. "I wonder how long you will stay," she whispered, not knowing she voiced her thoughts aloud.

The strong hand of the man sitting across from her reached over the table and took her hand in his, startling her. He gave her small hand a tender squeeze. "I will stay as long as you want me to, Kaoru."

_A/N: This derives from my IM conversation with ForgottenDiary. Blame her for encouraging me! (Or thank her!) _


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